Mount for binoculars



Feb. 2 4, 1948.

KENbE ET AL MOUNT FOR BINO CULARS 5 Sheets-Sheet 1 Filed Feb.. 14, 1945 INVENTORS'. .S'I'Pn Joiranson ("ear e P1140 F 1948- ca. KENDE ET AL 2,436,576

. MOUNT FOR BINOCULARS I Filed Feb. 14, 1945' 5 Sheets-Sheet 2 INVENTORS J/h Ja/m I730)? G'or m A wm e Filed Feb. 14, 1945 5 Sheets-Sheet 3 AIM z I fi a u MJH MU 3 l lwllu 2 l fi vk 4 N Mu! a m m m a W i Patented Feb. 1948 UNITED STATES PATENT, OFFlCE MOUNT ron 'nmocnmns George Kende, Dobbs Ferry, and Sten Johnson, New York, N. Y., assignors to Universal gainers Corporation, New York, N. 2., acorporation of New York I Application February 14, 1945, Serial lilo. 5775875 Claims. (0!. sans) This invention relates to optical instruments, and means for mounting and adjustably supporting the same in operative position before the eyes of the user.

It is therefore the general object of the invention to provide a novel and improved structure in the nature of a headgear whereby a comparatively powerful binocular may be comfortably supported in operative position without the use of additional. supporting members associated with the torso'or other parts of the users body and readily-adjusted in use for proper operation while being easily assembled with the headgear andremoved therefrom whenever desired.

More specifically it is an object of the invention to provide a structure whereby the inclina-- tion oi the binocular relative to the supporting headgear may be varied to insure proper positioning oi the binocular irrespective of the variations in shape-of the head of the user, the distance of the binocular relative to the eyes adjusted as desired and the interocular adjustment of the binocular effected, all of said adjustments being readily and expeditiously obtainable while the instrument is .in use.

associated with one of the supporting studs for preventing accidental separation of the binocular from the headgear. These and other related objects will become apparent in the following description of a preferred embodiment of the invention illustrated in the drawings, wherein:

Fig. 1 is a top plan view of an assembled binocular and headgear according to the invention, partly in horizontal section to illustrate the structure of the binocular and of the means formounting and adiustably supporting the same.

Fig. 2 is a front elevational view of the as- .sembled binocular and headgear. V liig. 3 is aside 'elevatonal view of the instrument of Fig -.2, illustrating the tilting adjustment voi? the binocular.

Fig. 4 is a transverse vertical section through the assembled binocular and headgear on line 4-4 of Fig. 2'. 1 ll iglg 5 is avertical section on line 5-5 of Referring now in detail to the drawings and in the flrst place particularly to Figs. 2 and 3, numeral N indicates the headgear or mounting ofv the binocular as awhoie. and I I generally designates the binocular. The headgear that will now be described, comprises a metal frame I2 .formed with substantially oval eye apertures It separated by a-eentral frame portion i5, said frame being 'p'rovidedwith a peripheral cushioning pad it of sponge rubber or the like, suitably secure thereto as in the manner shown at I8 in Fig. 4. .The:whole is substantially in the form of a pair of goggles adapted to be carried 'in properposition beiorethe users eyes by means of suitable head straps, such as the elastic adjustable...top.strapgl' and side straps at, 22 suitably secured to. the frame i2, as shown at 23 in Fig. 4.

The frame carries a'rigid metal plate 25, fastened thereto viri'afny suitable manner, which extends downwardly between the eye apertures it in juxtaposition to'the central frame portion I5 and has its upper portion enlarged to extend laterally inopposite directions substantially above the eye apertures. The ends of said upper portion of the plate 25 are provided with slotted segments 28 preferably formed integral therewith and extending outwardly at a right angle thereto (see Figs; 1, 3 and 4).

Fastened to the lower end of the plate 25 is a' hinge member '30 plvotally connected, as at 3!, to a further hinge member 32, which in turn is secured to the lower end of a further plate 34 to connect this'latter to the plate 25 for angular movement relative thereto. The plate 34 is substantially identicalin contour to the plate 25. Its uppenportion-embodies a longitudinal reinforcing rib 3I and is thickened at itsopposite ends to forntelements-li adjacent the inner faces of the slottedsegments 280i the plate 25. Said elements areprovide'd with threaded holes adapted to receive".sorews--38 which pass through the slotted segmentsland have heads or knobs 39 projecting outwardly from the segments and adapted tosclainp washers 40 to the-outer face of the segmentsso-a's to lock the plate 34 in any desired angularjposition relative to the plate 25. Right handand left hand threads are used for the 'screws l0' to permit locking or unlocking o'f;.the' platei ltby simultaneously rotating both knobs ur ne same direction.

aesdeve The face of the plate 84 opposed to the plate 25 is recessed to receive the flange or head 42 of a stud" passing through the plate and as,- sociated hinge member 82, suitably arranged rivets 44 (one oi which is shown in Fig. 4) being provided for rigidly connecting the stud head with the plate and hinge member aforesaid.

Above and in alinement with the stud 43, the plate 84 carries a second parallel large stud 45, which likewise projects from the plate and has .a head 48 received within a recess in the rear and carry the binocular ii constructed in "the;

manner that will now be described.

The binocular comprises a pair of housmgsiiil '6! for the optical systems thereof ,each consist-- ing of matable eye piece and ,obje'qtivesections 62, 63, preferably made of li htmetalica'stings,

which have one open endand b re'suita bly joined together along their respective fiat races, 65.

The section 82 embodies an integral cylindrical open-ended portion 88 mounting arubbereye cap 81 and carrying an eye piece 88',whicl 1 1 is rotatable and axially displaceable thereinjto permit focusing adjustment, and is provided with a suitable system of lenses. l iikewisepthe sec tion 63 comprises an integral, dpenfeniied cylin drical portion 10 incorporatii'igsiiitableobjective lenses. The two sections embody portions H and 12 defining opportunely disposed cavities tor the prisms of the optical system oi'tlie housing main tained therein in adjusted position in any suitable manner.

Each objective section]; has andntegral iaterally projecting portion "terminating in an extension 15, which carries a" projectingpm 16 (see Fig. 4) and is also'provided with'a thickened portion l1 extending alon'g'its' upper side outwardly of the housing formed by the joined objective and eye piece sections. Said portion or extension I1 is longitudinally bored and provided with a bushing 18.

A rigid plate 88, mounted on the studs 43 and 45 as hereinafter described has a reduced lower portion 8i extending between the housings 88, 6! (as indicated in dotted lines in Fig. 2) and an enlarged upper portion 82 provided with three integral spaced supports 84 for a shaft-85 which extends through the supports and secured therethereon between pairs 01 supports .84, the projecting portions 14 of the objective sections and .their extensions 15 being juxtaposedlto the-lower .por-

.tion 81 of the plate. 88.

A hollow stud or sleeve 88 having '9. Image portion or head 88 fastened to the .a-ear.,.face'of objective sections and their extensions", and "I5 the plate by means of rivets .88, projectsfrom 4 is slotted to permit passage of the pins 18. A disc 88, rotatably mounted on the sleeve 88, is juxtaposed to the plate 82 and is provided in its rear face with allned radially extending grooves 94 adapted to slidably receive the pins 1'8. The disc is also bored to receive one end of projecting operating handles 85. The structure is completed by a knob 85 mounted on the sleeve 88 in juxtaposition to the disc 83 to maintain the elements described in assembled relation, the disc being adjusted and suitably locked in the position required for preventing objectionable play between the associated elements while permitting relative movement thereof.

The rotation of the disc '83 in opposite directions and the consequent angular displacement of the grooves 94 with which the pins 18 are associated, result in a translatory movement of the pins and therefore 01' the housings 68, 81 (through the extensions 16 and the portions 14 of the objective sections of the housings).yaway from orjzowards one another, so that the rotation of the disc is effective to bring about any desired interocular adjustment of the instrument within the limits allowed by the dimensions and arra'ngement of the associated structural elements.

The-structure and the operation ofthe binocular heretofore described are substantially identical to those disclosed in greater detail in my oo-pending application Serial No. 577,874;

filed February 14, 1945, to which reference is,

herein expressly made.

In addition to the elements hereinbefore described, there is provided a sleeve or bushing 88 having a flange 98 secured to the, rear face of the binocular plate 88, as by means of rivets Hill; said sleeve projects from the plate; underneath and in alinement with the sleeve 88, to

slidably receive the stud 48 projecting from the plate 34 of the mounting. Furthermore, the

sleeve 88, which slidably receives the stud 45, has its free end longitudinally split as indicated at iill (see Figs. 1 and 5) and carries a knurled knob I82 threadedly mounted thereon and operable to press said split end into frictional engagement with the surface of the stud 45 to permit locking of the sleeve thereon.

As will be apparent from the foregoing, the binocular may be readily assembled with the headgear by sliding the sleeves 88 and 88 over the supporting and locating studs 45 and 43, the hook-shaped end portion 52 of the spring-loaded key 50'then forming a safety catch preventing accidental separation of the sleeve 88 from its stud. Manifestly, to remove the binocular from the headgear it will be sufioient topress down theaiorementioned end portion 52 of the key and slide the sleeves oil the studs.

The binocular. can be longitudinally adjusted on the studs to insure proper positioning of the eye pieces relative to the eyes of the observer wearing the headgear (eye distance adjustment) and" locked in said adjusted positionm'erely'by tightening the knob I82. The interocular adjustment insure level position of the binocular, by tilting,

the plate 34, which carries the binocular supporting studs and is hinged to the plate 25} fastened to the goggle frame, as described,

This tilting adjustment may be likewise effected with great ease simply by simultaneously turning the locking knobs 88' in one direction to loosen aesaare said knobs, thereby permitting angular movement of the plate 84 to the desired position, and subsequently turning the knobs in the opposite direcangular adjustment relative to the frame, means for locking said plate in angularly adjusted position, a stud carried by the plate and projecting therefrom in a forward direction, a sleeve rigidly secured to the binocular mounted on said stud to support the binocular thereon, said sleeve being slidable along the stud for longitudinal adjustment thereon, and means carried by the sleeve for locking the same on the stud in longitudinally adjusted position.

2. In a device for supporting a binocular before the eyes, a headgear comprising a supporting frame adapted to reston the fa e of the wearer, a plate juxtaposed to said frame and tiltably connected to the same for angular adjustment relative thereto, a pair of segments projecting from the frame in a forward direction, means carried by said plate actuable into locking engagement with said segments to lock the plate in angularly adjusted position, a stud carried by the plate and projecting horizontally therefrom, a sleeve rigidly secured to the binocular mounted on said stud to support the binocular thereon, said sleeve being slidable along the stud for longitudinal adjustment thereon, and means for locking the sleeve on the stud in longitudinally adjusted position.

3. In a device for supporting a viewing device before the eyes, aheadgear comprising a sup- \porting member having eye apertures adapted to rfibonthe face of the wearer, a plate having a portion extendlngin juxtaposition to said supporting member between the eye aperture and hingedly connected at its lower end to the memif ber for angular adjustment relative thereto, means for locking said plate in angularly adjusted position relative to said member, a rigid element carried by said portion of the plate and projecting therefrom in a forward direction, a member rigidly secured to the viewing device mounted on said projecting element to support the viewing device thereon, said member being slidable on the projecting element for longitudinal adjustment thereon, and means for locking the slidable member on the projecting element in longitudinally adjusted position,

4. In a'device for supporting a binocular before the eyes, a headgear comprising a supporting member adapted to rest on the face of the wearer, a plate juxtaposhed to said member and tiltably connected to the same for angular adjustment relative thereto, means for locking said plate in angularly adjusted position, a stud carried by the plate and projecting therefrom in a forward direction, a sleeve rigidly secured to the binocular mounted on said stud to support the binocular thereon, said sleeve being slidable on the stud for longitudinal adjustment thereon and having a split end portion, and means carried by the sleeve operable. to clamp said split end portion to the stud to lock the sleeve on the stud in longitudinally adjusted position.

5. In a device for supporting a binocular before the eyes, a headgear comprising a supporting member adapted to reston the face of the wearer,

a plate juxtaposed to said member and tiltably connected to the same for angular adjustment relative thereto, means for locking said plate in angularly' adjusted position, a stud carried by the plate and projecting therefrom in a forward direction, a sleeve rigidly secured to the binocular mounted on said stud to support the binocular thereon, said sleeve being slidable on the stud for longitudinal adjustment thereon. and having a split end portion, means carried by the sleeve operable to clamp said split end portion to thestud to lock the sleeve on the stud in longitudinally adjusted position, and a spring-loaded safety catch at the free end of the stud for preventing separation of the sleeve from the stud.

GEORGE KENDE. STEN JOHANSON.

1 REFERENCES CITED The following references are of record in the file of this patent: Y

UNITED s'rA'rEs PATENTS Number Name Date 553,146 Aitchison Jan. 14, 1896 724,197 Marshutz Mar. 31, 1903 1,834,909 Wilson Dec. 1, 1931 1,992,523 Dupret Feb. 25, 1985 1,993,485 Paul Mar. 5, 1935 2,270,931 I Corcoran Jan. 27, 1942 2,357,377 Bausch Sept. 5, 1944 FOREIGN PA'IENTE Number Country Date 73,246 Switzerland Dec. 27,1915 

